Growth and Joy. December 26, 2016

I am so blessed! Amazing things are coming our way and it is such a
blessing to be a missionary. :)

On Tuesday we had a zone conference. We went down to Medford, and we
had a wonderful Christ centered meeting! We were taught about the
priesthood, the pre Earth life, the fall, and the Atonement. It was so
powerful! Leading up to it, we had to prepare a 15-20 min talk
centered on 'Christ, and coming to know him in your heart...'. Then
President called on a few and they talked for 2 mins about what they
learned. Sis Dobbins got called on and she talked about how the Savior
is a shepherd, not a sheepherder. A sheepherder stays behind the
sheep, while a shepherd leads them. Overall, it was an amazing and
spiritual meeting! If you want, I can send a copy of mine to you.

We had a lesson with an investigator named Aredelia! She is so
prepared! We were planning on teaching her the whole Restoration
lesson, but the Spirit directed us to just teach her about God and
prayer. It's hard to explain the feeling. One minute you are ready to
teach, but as you go, your thoughts go a different way. It's such a
testimony to me that God loves and knows all His children and that I
can trust in Him to lead me to know how to help them the best. Another
cool thing, as we went caroling, we went to her house, and afterword
an elder we serve with said he's knocked on that door three times, and
it never opened. Until we knocked. Isn't that amazing?

Christmas was such a blessed day. I LOVED being able to partake of the
sacrament. As I sat there, I realized that I was able to partake
because of the the Savior! Because he was born, we can celebrate! We
can have joy! We can progress!!!

As I called my family on Christmas, I realized how much I have
changed. But it is a glorious thing! I have become such a better me,
and though I may pass through trials and heartaches, I know in whom I
can trust, it is Jesus Christ. He is my rock and my redeemer, and I
will be forever grateful for the priceless gift God has given us-
Jesus Christ.